Your guide to the 2012 total solar eclipse

Seeing a total solar eclipse for the first time is an amazing experience. To get the most out of one of nature's greatest spectacles find out where to see it, what to look for, and how to see it safely.

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They might be more common than a transit of Venus, but total solar eclipses are only visible from a small part of the Earth.

The total solar eclipse on the early morning of 14 November (local time), is the first total solar eclipse over Australia since 4 December 2002, when it passed over Ceduna in South Australia. Here is everything you need to know to help you get the most out of this spectacular event:

The eclipse will be visible from a narrow strip — known as the path of totality — starting in Kakadu National Park, passing over Far North Queensland and the South Pacific, finishing just off the coast of Chile.

At the same time, most of central and eastern Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, will experience a partial solar eclipse. How much of the Sun is covered by the Moon will depend on how close you are to the path of totality. But don't worry if you are not in the path of the eclipse, you will be able to watch the eclipse live on ABC News.

Location, location, location

For this total solar eclipse, most watchers will head to Cairns and Port Douglas on the Far North Queensland coast.

The eclipse will begin at 05:45 am (local time) and finish at 7:40 am. Totality — the period when the Moon completely covers the Sun- will last approximately two minutes, starting at 6:38 am. Note: local time (AEST) is UTC+10 hours.

Although this part of the world is heading into tropical storm season, the possibility of clouds forming this early in the day is low. However, the Sun and Moon will only be 14 degrees above the horizon, meaning the presence of offshore clouds will present a potential viewing hazard. Several eclipse websites suggest that eclipse watchers head inland to the outback town of Palmerville, where less cloud is expected. For information about local weather conditions check the Bureau of Meterology website.

For eclipse viewers outside of the path of totality, there is an opportunity to view a partial eclipse of the Sun. While not as spectacular as a total solar eclipse, it still presents an opportunity to witness the Moon moving in front of the Sun.

What to look out for

For many people, seeing a total solar eclipse for the first time is an amazing, and sometimes emotional experience.

For nearly an hour, the Moon slowly moves across the face of the Sun, turning its round face into a crescent. In the minutes leading up to totality, the ambient light levels drop rapidly, animals become confused and the temperature can drop by several degrees Celsius. The effect is most pronounced when a total solar eclipse occurs in the middle of the day.

This year's total eclipse across Far North Queensland will occur in the early hours of the morning so the changes may be somewhat muted.

Seconds before the Moon completely covers the Sun, the crescent is reduced to a faint ring with a bright point of light, referred to as the diamond ring effect.

Soon after, this bright light rapidly shrinks into tiny broken points of light, known as Baily's beads. These 'beads' are rays of light passing through valleys, or dips, along the uneven edge of the Moon.

Then totality arrives; the time when the Moon completely covers the Sun. This is the only time that you can view the Sun without eye protection.

Totality ends when the Sun's disc re-emerges from behind the Moon, at first revealing Baily's beads and the re-emergence of the diamond ring. From this point on it is important not to look directly at the Sun with the naked eye, and return to using solar filters of indirect viewing methods.

The Sun is replaced by the dark disc of the Moon, surrounded by the eerie glow of the corona — the outer most region of the Sun. This gaseous region is practically impossible to see from Earth when the Sun is not eclipsed. Its fine detail is easily seen with the naked eye, resembling fine fairy floss.

If the Sun is in a quiet phase of its 11-year solar cycle, the corona stretches out in almost straight lines. When the Sun becomes more active, with flares and sunspots, the corona is tangled and bunched up, resembling 'bed hair'.

Tiny red flares and prominences may also be visible erupting from the Sun's surface.

Several planets and stars will be visible during totality. Above and slightly to the left of the eclipse will be Saturn and Venus, while in the opposite direction will be Mercury. Immediately to the left will be the bright star Arcturus, while Alpha Centauri — one of the 'two pointers' — will appear to the right.

You may also notice that the sky above the entire horizon has an orange-red glow, similar to that seen during sunset, while the sky close to the eclipse will be black.

Protecting your eyes

You should use the safe solar viewing techniques mentioned below even when the Sun is 99.99 per cent covered by the Moon. Eclipse viewers outside the path of totality will only experience partial phases of the eclipse, and should use these techniques at all times.

The Sun is a bright source of electromagnetic radiation, which includes visible light, infrared, ultraviolet and x-rays.

Our eyes normal reaction when we glance at the Sun is to look away. This reflex reaction protects the retina, a layer of cells lining the back of the eye. These cells collect light and convert them to electrical signals, which are sent to the brain. Intense exposure to electromagnetic radiation can destroy the cells, and cause permanent eye damage, so it's important to protect your eyesight while viewing any astronomical phenomenon involving the Sun.

Direct viewing

Specially manufactured solar viewing glasses reduce all forms of light that are known to cause damage to the eyes. Note, that while these glasses typically meet European and US safety standards, there are no Australian/New Zealand standards for solar filters. Also be aware that they are made of a thin polymer plastic that can be scratched or damaged. Do not use the filter if you suspect it is damaged.

An alternative is number 14 (or greater) welding glasses. Do not use the glasses if they have been damaged, or you are unsure of their rating.

If you own a telescope, there are a range of solar filters available such as Baader film and Hydrogen-alpha. The latter type allows you to see the structure of Sun, such as prominences and flares, in fine detail. You should only use filters that attach to the front of the telescope, which filter light before it enters the tube. Do not use filters that attach to the eyepiece.

Indirect methods

A pinhole camera is the simplest way to indirectly view the Sun, but Venus may be difficult to see
(Source: Darren Osborne/ABC)

Pinhole camera

The simplest method is to make a pinhole camera. Using a sharp pin, piece a small hole in a piece of stiff cardboard. Stand with your back to the Sun and hold the card up, allowing light to pass through the hole and project onto a flat surface that is in the shade. Never look through the pinhole at the Sun. The greater the distance between the pinhole and screen the greater, but fainter, the image will be.

This method is extremely good at showing large sunspots or the partial stages of a solar eclipse.

Use binoculars to project a larger image of the Sun on to paper.
(Source: Darren Osborne/ABC )

Binocular projection

To see a larger, brighter image, you can use a pair of binoculars or a viewfinder to project the image of the Sun.

Use the shadow cast by the binoculars to help you point them directly at the Sun. Never look at the Sun through the binoculars.

You can use a tripod and attachment to fix the binoculars in place, but be aware that the heat from the Sun passing through it may cause damage to the glue and lenses so give them a break every so often.

Where's the next eclipse?

There is an average of 2.4 solar eclipses every year, so there's always somewhere in the world to see an eclipse each year. The next eclipse — an annular eclipse — will also pass over Australia next year in May. But we'll have to wait until 22 July 2028 for the next total eclipse, where it will pass across a large swathe of Australia, including Sydney.